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Something old is not just old. It has something special.

It makes us wonder about its history and the people

who owned it. So we don't want to see it just dumped

when it is broken. Therefore, we restore it carefully

and give it new life.




1.A broken glass bowl.
 2.After repair
Two broken pieces are held together by Urushi.		 3.Decoration
The join has been decorated with gold powder.


Restoring antique dishes mainly involves old chinaware like Imari China because of its popularity and value in the market at present. However, we sometimes restore other types of dishes too. There was a rare case when we restored a glass bowl made in the 1910's. It had beautiful features in its color, which was a pale milky blue. Unfortunately, the method to create this color doesn't exist anymore. As you can see in the photo (above left), this bowl was broken into just two pieces with a clean break and no other small cracks or chips, which could lead to further damage. (Considering glassware usually breaks into small pieces when damaged, this bowl must have been just worn out and broke from old age. That is perhaps rare but also lucky.) So this bowl could be restored and made fully useable again when the work had been done.

Now we will explain about the traditional method of restoration used for antique dishes called "Kin tsugi". This is not only the best way to repair damage to this type of dish but also the best way to retain its artistic value.
The 2nd photo above shows the condition of the bowl after being put together with "Urushi".(The Japanese traditional lacquer made from the plant called Urushi.)
Here, we carefully join the pieces together and let the Urushi dry out completely. (It usually takes about a week to dry out.) Then, another thin coat of Urushi is applied, followed by a coat of pure powdered gold when the 2nd coat of Urushi is half dry. Using gold is mainly for the decoration of the repaired area and it gives additional value to the restored dish. Gold powder has varieties in color and texture too, so we have to carefully choose which gold powder to use, according to the dishes being restored.
The above right photo is the glass bowl after restoration. What do you think of the look of it after being given a new lease of life?


The 2nd example is the case of restoring an Imari soba sauce cup (Soba choko) made in mid. 19th century. The edge of the cup is chipped and there is a crack going down from the chipped area towards the bottom of the cup.
1.The cup before repair.
2.The chipped area filled with putty. 3.After a coat of Kuro naka Urushi. 4.Powdered gold has been applied.

Photo 1.: We fill the chipped area with putty and when it dries, sand it with fine sand paper.

Photo 2.: Super glue is applied to the crack and it is closed it by pressing hard from both sides of the crack. When the glue dries, we can check if it has been closed properly by tapping the cup near the crack with a fingernail. (If a very clear sound is heard, it means the crack is closed completely.) Then the excess glue is scraped off with a fine blade.

Photo 3.: A coat of "Kuro naka Urushi" (Black colored Urushi) is applied where the crack and chip has been repaired. When it dries, a couple more coats of Kuro naka Urushi are applied and when that dries, it is sanded with fine damp sandpaper.

Photo 4.: A thin coat of "Bengara Urushi" (Red colored Urushi) is applied as well as a coat of pure powdered gold while the Bengara Urushi is still wet. It is left for 3-4days to let it dry out completely. Then, the the gold is polished with a paste made of fine sand and sesame oil, on a cloth. One more coat of Urushi is applied and it is polished again.














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